The cartoon perfectly illustrates one of the problems with typical “suggestion box” systems. It’s also the same problem that we see with many “ideation” systems” — the evaluation of ideas is too often done by leaders or senior leaders (or a committee) that’s too disconnected from the actual work being done.

In the real world, it’s usually more subtle and more complex than the boss being “dumb.”

For one, there are different types of smart. I couldn’t evaluate a doctor’s proposed change to a clinical protocol any more than I could evaluate a microprocessor design. That doesn’t mean I’m dumb. I’d be dumb to put my own opinion above that of the real experts.

Secondly, managers who vote yes or no on suggestions might be smart, but are disconnected from the workplace or the “gemba” as we’d say in Lean. Staff might have a valid suggestion about solving a problem in their work… but managers don’t see the problem and, therefore, maybe it makes it easy for them to say “no” to spending a little bit of money.

In our Healthcare Kaizen books, Joe Swartz and I try to paint a pretty clear picture of how Kaizen is different than suggestion box systems. With Kaizen, managers empower and delegate… they are involved and collaborative rather than being in control.